The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.

THE NINTH SERMON, PREACHED ON PART OF the 44. verse of the 13. Chapter accor∣ding to Saint Matthew.

MATTH. 13. vers. 44.

And for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

IN the former Sermon wee shewed that the kingdome of God was taken in two diuers senses, as namely: First, for the glorious estate of Gods children after this life, when they shall liue eternally with God, and enioy the presence of the holie Angels, triumphing o∣uer sinne, hell, death, and condemnation: and secondly, for the entrance which Gods children haue into the kingdome of God in this world. This kingdome is of two parts, one of the meanes where∣by God offereth his kingdome vnto them; the other of the graces of the Spirit, which hee offereth by the mean••s. Here we are taught that none shall euer haue fruition of the ioyes of heauen, but those which take possession of them in earth: none shall rise againe with Christ to glorie, which doth not here arise from sinne: for who so will bee made par∣taker of the kingdome of heauen, must here wholie addict himselfe to seeke the king∣dome of heauen, euerie one therefore is to make great account of the word of God, which is the meanes to leade vs to this kingdome, that so he may be assured that he hath alreadie departed from death vnto life, and so he may haue the assurance of the kingdome of heauen.

The word of God and the graces offered by it, are called a treasure, because that with∣out this all things else are nothing, and this of it selfe is sufficient to our saluation. Ma∣ny there are, which will confesse that this is the onely treasure which a man ought to seeke for, but few there are which doe agree thereunto in their liues, and labour to ex∣presse the same in their conuersation. But blessed are they that can so thinke of it, and la∣bour to haue a testimonie in their consciences that they doe thus seeke after it: for where euery mans treasure is, there is his heart also. So that if the word of God and the graces of the Spirit and eternall life bee our treasure, then our hearts must bee set on them, and then must wee wholie seeke after them; but this treasure is a hidden treasure, and there∣fore not so esteemed and reuerenced: for whether wee doe consider the meanes which haue no outward power or shew in them, or whether wee consider the graces of the Spirit offered by the meanes, it is a treasure altogether hidden; but yet though it be hidden, yet it is not any whit lesse esteemed of the godly.

This must teach vs not to be offended with any, when wee shall see them make no ac∣count of receiuing the truth: for it is no new thing, but hath been a thing prophecied of old: Lord (saith the Prophet Esay) who will beleeue our report, or to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed? Wee shewed that treasures are found before they bee sought for, and

so God he hath offered vnto vs the treasure of his word before wee sought it, and therefore we must acknowledge that this is onely of the free mercie and fauour of God, that wee doe enioy the treasure of his word.

Now, for as much as God hath once vouchsafed to call vs, wee must obey, and hauing once spoken vnto vs, we must hearken vnto him: for it hath pleased the Lord to deale with vs as parents deale with their young children, who when their children be tender, they put the teate into their mouthes, put on their cloaths vpon their backes, and feede them with milke: but when they waxe elder and grow to some yeeres of discretion, then if they of∣fend they are rebuked and scourged. And euen so the Lord at the first beginning of our regeneration, he offered his graces most plentifully vnto vs, he sent his watchmen to call vs vnto him: but now whether for omission of duties, correction of our sinnes, or triall of our patience, it pleaseth him to withdraw his merciful countenance from vs, and as it were to be gone from vs, to the intent that now we might seeke him, now wee must fast and mourne, or he will not returne vnto vs againe.

Euery one must therefore examine his owne heart, whether that hee doth there finde such power of the spirit of God working in him, as that hee is willing to seeke vnto the Lord, and a proceeding and holding on in grace, in vertue, and in goodnesse. And if vpon due triall and examination of our hearts, we finde them not in vs, then we are to know that the reason why we haue them not, is this, wee would still be babes, and still bee fed as chil∣dren, not seeking, not knocking, nor looking after the Lord.

The man that findeth a treasure, hath a ioy suddenly arising in his minde, but by and by* 1.1 he doubteth of himselfe whether he hath found a treasure indeede or no: and therefore he looketh ouer it againe to the intent he may be the better certified thereof, least otherwise his sudden ioy should soone vanish away. And euen so the children of God finde by the word of God the treasure of their saluation to bee in Christ Iesus, and being throughlie touched in heart to seeke after the same, yet oftentimes they doe make many doubts, they seeke againe and againe, and are desirous not onely to haue a smacke and a glimmering taste of Christ, but a liuely eating and feeding vpon the Lord Iesus, and therfore they hide the word with the Prophet Dauid in their hearts.

A man hauing found a treasure reioyceth. Ioy and sorrow, hope and feare working on mens hearts, doe make knowne vnto men how farre off, or how neere our hearts are vnto God: for the neerer a man is vnto saluation, the more ioyfull and gladder hee is▪ Great is* 1.2 the ioy of haruest vnto them which haue haruest at hand; great is the ioy of siluer and gold, vnto them which haue abundance thereof, but greater is the ioy of a good consci∣ence: great is the ioy of spoyles, of victorie and glorie, gotten by victorie and spoyles, but greater is the ioy of a true Christian in the mercies of the Lord. And therefore Dauid spea∣king in the person of a regenerate man, saith in Psalme the 119. the last part saue one•• I re∣ioyce at thy word, as one that findeth a great spoyle. Those then which haue no ioy in the word, in the spirit of God, and in the graces of Gods spirit, they neuer tasted of the good spirit of God, neither shal they taste of the ioyes of the world to come. There is a ioy of the minde, and a ioy of the heart: a ioy when a man knoweth that a treasure is to bee found, but a greater ioy, when in experience the heart is fully setled in the finding of it. The ioy of a man which commeth in this, that he knoweth that there is saluation, this ioy may va∣nish away; but that ioy which is setled in the heart in the full assurance of saluation, this ioy, though it may sometimes be darkened, yet can it neuer bee vtterly extinguished, hea∣uinesse may abide for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning.

It followeth: He withdraweth himselfe, or he departeth. The naturall signification of the word, is not onely to depart and goe away, but to withdraw and seperate himselfe as it were from other businesse. And this wee see aptly and fully to be resembled of vs in the finding of a treasure: for when a man hath found a treasure, hee goeth about to buy the field: or when one is about to vndertake any other thing of great waight or importance, then hee giueth himselfe wholy ouer vnto it, hee goeth aside to consider of it, what it is, whether hee bee not deceiued in it, what his owne abilitie is, what good it may doe him, what it must cost him, what it may be worth vnto him, and whether it will counteruaile

all those things he laieth out for it: and euen so in the doctrine of saluation it is requisite that men should consider it, when God offereth such a worthie treasure vnto them, then they are to search into their hearts throughly and diligently to cast before hand, what lets, impediments and hindrances there may be, what that is which they seeke for, what cost and labour they are to bestow vpon it, and againe, what may bee the profit, commoditie and ioy thereof, which may redound vnto them thereby, when they haue it, and how they may keepe themselues in sure possession of it, hauing once obtained it. This preconside∣ration our Sauiour Christ confirmeth vnto vs in two Parables in Luke the 14 the one is of building, the other of warre. For the first, he saith, Which of you minding to build a tower, sit∣teth not downe first and counteth the cost whether hee hath sufficient to performe it, least after that hee hath laid the foundation, and is not able to performe it, all that behold it begin to mocke him, saying: This man began to build, and was not able to make an end. For the second, he saith: What King going to warre against another King, sitteth not downe first and taketh counsell whether he be able with tenne thousand to meete him which commeth against him with twentie thousand, least afterward to his great shame (for so it may be gathered by the circumstances) he may be constrai••ed to send an ••mbassege vnto him and to desire conditions of peace. So ought euery one which commeth to heare the Word, to make this premeditation and preparation with* 1.3 himselfe, whether he be able and can endure the cost which he must be at in comming vnto the Lord, whether he can endure that fight which he is to take in hand before he come vnto the Lord; whether he can sustaine the losse of his father, mother, wife, and children, brethren, and sisters, yea and his owne life also, and all that he hath; whether he be able to fight against Powers, Principalities, the Diuell, the World, and the flesh, his owne reason and affections, least that otherwise he breake off his course, and shew himselfe not to be the man he seemed first to be. This premeditation and preconsideration must be made, before we can enioy that treasure and buy the field wherein it lieth.

There is no similitude in the Scriptures vsed more often than the similitude of building, which often is englished by this word Edifying. Of this building mention is made 1▪ Cor. 3. where the people of God are called the Building of God, and the Apostles the Builders: so likewise in Ephes. chap. 2. verse. 20. 21. 22. And are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles* 1.4 and Prophets, Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone, in whom all the building coupled together groweth into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom yee are also built together to be the ha∣bitation of God by the spirit. And in Esphes. 4 and 12. verse, it is said by the Apostle, That Christ gaue some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some Euangelists, some Pastors, and some Tea∣chers, for the gathering together of the Saints, for the worke of the ministerie, and for the edifi∣cation of the bodie of Christ. And in verse the 16. By whom all the bodie being coupled and knit together, by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof (according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part) receiueth increase of the bodie, vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue. And Iude in his Epistle verse the 20. requireth of vs that we build our selues in our most holie faith praying in the holy Ghost. Againe, who knoweth not that the similitude of warfare is* 1.5 often repeated also in the Scriptures; as in Iob, The life of man is a continuall warfare. And in the 1 of Timoth. the 6▪ chapter and 12. verse: Fight a good fight, saith the Apostle. And 1. Peter. 2. and 11▪ verse. Abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule. And Eph. 6. and 12. verse: We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and* 1.6 against earthly gouernours, the princes of the darknesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesses in heauenly things: So that wee see that of necessitie euery Christian must be a builder and a warriour.

This building and fighting was shadowed out in the rearing vp of the materiall walles of the temple of Ierusalem, which when the Iewes did build, they wrought with one hand, and held their weapons in the other hand to fight against their enemies, as it is in Nehem. 4. and 17▪ verse. The profit and commoditie of building is a deede very great, the glorie and honour of victorie gotten in warre is great, but this wee know that nothing is more troublesome and dangerous, than both building and warre: yet be thinking of the com∣moditie and glory which do arise of them, do counteruaile the paines & griefes. But grea∣ter is the profit and more excellent is the glory which we shall attaine vnto in building vp

of our selues temples of the holy Ghost. Therefore as none can looke to haue commodi∣tie by his building, nor honour by fighting, without trauaile and paines: so let no man deceiue himselfe with a vaine perswasion, that he shall inherit the kingdome of heauen,* 1.7 when he laboureth not with might and maine to come there. For we shall neuer be vic∣tors, except we fight valiantly, we cannot enioy the building if we spare the cost. And as we see some begin a building, which not being able to finish, doe leaue off to their discre∣dit: and as many doe moue and make warre, who not being able to finish it, and to goe through withall, are faine to their shame to seeke truce, so alas many begin to build and make an entrance into Christianitie with a great and faire shew at the first, but few conti∣nue to the end.

And we finde it most true in the Gospell, that nine lepers being clensed, but one of them returned backe againe to giue him thankes for it. Wherefore this forethinking and premeditation is most expedient and necessarie: neither must wee thinke that religion is so slight a matter, as many doe perswade themselues that it is; which kind of men when death commeth vpon them, euen then they are deceiued of their saluation, because they make no account thereof before hand, they neuer thought that the profession of Christia∣nitie would be so costly vnto them, they neuer thought it would be so chargeable a mat∣ter. Whosoeuer therefore will auoide a most dangerous and desperate estate at his death, whosoeuer he or she be which will goe on vnto this building, must forecast and premedi∣tate* 1.8 before hand, what it must cost him, he must deeply consider with himselfe what his saluation and the kingdome of heauen will cost him; I tell you it is no small thing, it must cost him the losse of all the pleasures and delights of this world, it must cost thee the for∣going of all thy lusts, the losse of riches, of libertie, and of banishment, the losse of thy wife, goods, lands, friends, parents, children, yea and peraduenture also it will cost thee the losse of thine owne heart blood: It is more chargeable than some thinke it is, and that it is the cause why they make so little account of it.

Now there are some which care not what it costeth them, so that it may be had with ease; but such must know that it is as laborious, as costly: For before thou canst attaine vnto it, thou must trauaile in heart and in soule, with weeping, with sighing, with much fa∣sting, with prayer, with watching, with meditation of the word of God, and in practising* 1.9 of all the commandements of God. Thou must trauaile in compassion towards all men, thou must take paines in doing thy dutie towards thy superiours, and in relieuing the nee∣die, and such as are in distresse. Finally, it is a most painfull way to passe, and many there be which deceiue themselues, entring into it without preconsideration either of cost or paines. I tell you in the houre of death, in the day of iudgement, in persecutions, in trials, in banishments, many shall see and know that they haue deceiued themselues, for that they haue not duly thought of these said charges; neither is it onely chargeable and troublesome, but also there are in it many and great perils and dangers, many battailes must be fought, before thou canst come vnto the end thereof.

Now for a man not onely to be greatly chargeable, but also to haue great troubles, ma∣ny battels betwixt the flesh and the spirit, this is a sore and a great temptation, thou must fight with all thy affections, with thine owne reason, thou must be prepared to fight with fleshly ioy, Loue, Feare, sorrow, Anger, Meekenesse, Softnesse: neither is this conflict as the passion of anger, which endureth but for a moment, but this combat against affections is to be taken in hand diuers and sundrie times, and continueth a long time, euen during the whole life. And though we receiue many blowes, and are sometimes (as it were) drawne backe, yet we must to it againe. Those (I say) which meane to inherit the kingdome of hea∣uen,* 1.10 must renounce their owne reason, and fight against their owne iudgement. As for ex∣ample, in anger many will burst out to fighting; and why? because that their owne reason teacheth them that they are abused, contemned, and despised, and this is it which decei∣ueth many, because they doe not striue and contend with their owne reason: but rather doe thus thinke with themselues according to the manner of men, what is the reason why we should doe this? or why we should doe that? why we should lose our wiues, children, goods, and lands? this reason then of ours must be fought against and ouercome.

But when a man hath ouercome his reason, and knoweth what things to be angrie for, and what things to be patient in, what to loue, and what to hate, then shall he the better walke rightly, but for as much as a man must fight both with his reason and his affections,* 1.11 this is a hard battell. For though a man haue ouercome his reason, yet his affections may still ••e head strong in him, yea so strong as they shall carrie his reason & iudgement head∣long. Here then ariseth a greater fight than before, before the affections can be ouercome: but when reason & affections ioyne together & that a man hath to deale with them both, then ariseth a most deadly fight, insomuch that a man shall very hardly ouercome them, and yet wee haue more enemies to fight withall than these. Wee must fight on the right hand, and on the left; on the right hand with fame and glorie, and on the left hand we are to fight with wealth and riches, and with credit, and all things in the world. If God shall vouchsafe to giue thee riches, take heede that thy heart be not set vpon them: wherfore when thou, whosoeuer thou art, art blessed with a good report or with the riches of this world, take heede and beware of pride, vaine glorie, and ambition, for if the childe, of God doe not forecast these things, he may easily be ouertaken, and wee see many, who when they are in lower estate behaue themselues like honest men, and as becommeth the children of God, but when they come to any preferment, and promotion, then they are altogether carried away with the vaine glorie of this world. Thou must not onely fight with faire and good reports, but thou must also fight with reproches, and this is no small combate: for hauing riches and glorie thou maist escape pride, and ambition, but if in∣deed thou professe the truth, thou canst not escape reproches. Wherefore if this be not foret•• ought and looked vnto betimes, if a man ••e not well armed against this, he cannot be able to withstand it, but it will make him goe backe from the truth which he hath pro∣fessed: alas (will he say) I labour to doe good, I endeauour my selfe to keepe a good con∣ference in all my dealings, yet loe how I am contemned, and how I am accounted a Pre∣c••sian, and an Hypocrite.

We must also fig••t with losses and want of liuing, and in this point we see many to be* 1.12 ouercome: when as therefore the Lord hath brought vs vnto a low ••bbe, we must take heede that we be ••o shifters▪ For when by a simple and godly liuing many cannot thriue and prosper in this world, then fall they to vnlawfull meanes; and now adaies rather than a man will be in want, hee will take two or three liuings: wherefore this temptation of want is very great, and therefore so much the more to be looked vnto. Likewise when a man must fight with banishment, losse of friends, or such like, then the anguish which ari∣••eth thereof, it draweth from him many bitter sighes and deepe groanes, and through sor∣row of heart, he is brought vnto strange thoughts: wherefore except a man doe acquit himselfe with these, and the rest, it will goe hard but Sathan will haue the victorie, for it is a very hard matter to endure them. There is another thing to be taken heede of, and that is this, when Sathan shall behold the corruption of a man, either which is within him, or* 1.13 which is outward (for whether it be inward or outward it will serue his turne) as it is in E∣phes. the 6. He is spirituall wick••dnesses in heauenly things, he is a spirituall enemie, and in this world he is Principalities and Powers. Therefore (I say) when he beholdeth thy corruptions, he commeth to worke vpon thee, and stirreth vp thine owne conscience, and thine owne reason to accuse thee, and to condemne thee: then like a spirituall enemie he commeth to intoxicate thine affections, and moueth thee sometimes with losses, sometimes with pro∣fit, sometimes with pleasures, sometimes with ioy, sometimes with sorrow; when I say he doth thus bewitch thy reason and affections, and doth thus infatuate thy wits, and intoxi∣cate thy braines, here is a very dangerous fight. And herein may a man easily perceiue, that Rebecca had not such a conflict, when the two yong babes were within her, as thou shalt haue when Sathan beginneth thus to worke. And for this cause was it that the Church in Baptisme did appoint that euery one should euen then prepare himselfe to fight with the Diuell, with the world, his owne affections, and all the lusts of the flesh.

Now when a man hath once entred into this fight, and for want of due considera∣tions is not able to goe further, because he looketh not vnto the charges thereof, then

what will bee saide of him? Behold the foolish builder, loe the vnwise souldier; and is not this a great reproch? Satan shall laugh at vs herein. And this defect in fore casting and pre∣meditation is the cause that some men are carried away from the trueth, by this meanes, and by that meanes, but fewe continue stedfast in it vnto the end▪ Hence it commeth to passe, that so many being grounded in the pleasure of this life, swell in ambition, and are as it were choaked with delights, in pouertie some runne to vnlawfull sl••fts, many by re∣proches and taunts fall away, some burst with anger, and some are either carried away with grieuous errors, or else with Idolatrie, because they doe not consider that Satan is a spirituall wickednesse in heauenly things: Some come to drowne and to hang themselues, and* 1.14 all for want of consideration. Wherefore it behooueth all men to bee most circumspect and warie in this, that they consider what that is which they bee to take in hand, before they enter rashly into it. But yet Satan hath another shift, when hee cannot cause vs to bee carelesse and negligent in premeditation, then hee will make vs to trust too much to our owne strength, as hee did moue Peter to doe, who if Christ had not prayed for him, and if he had not been grounded on the rocke before, hee had vtterly ••••scaried, otherwise hee maketh vs to be ouer circumspect and warie in this behalfe, as hee did Ananias and Sa∣phira.

Againe, if he see that thou makest a conscience to offend the Lord, then hee will set be∣fore thee the waight of thy sinnes and the great dangers that thou art in, that thereby hee may moue thee to despaire: but if hee perceiue that thou art carelesse in off••nding God, then will he set before thee the mercies of God, that thereby thou maist presume▪ O most perilous temptation, when on euery side Satan shall seeke to entrap thee and bring the•• vnto destruction! Some againe he maketh thus to thinke; Alas, if I shall giue my selfe to this seuere and strict examination of my selfe, then I shall bee plunged into extreame sor∣row and griefe and brought into melancholie, o•• I shall neuer be mine owne man, I can∣not begge, I cannot abide (for the words sake) to lose my country, my wife, children, and such like, and therefore I can neuer come to be a Christian. Thus hee causeth thee onely to see and looke into the perill which shall come vnto thee in professing the word of God: but the price of thy saluation and me ioyes of this life to come, he neuer telleth them to come into thy minde, and this is also a most perilous temptation Thus the di∣uell by one meanes or other goeth about to deceiue vs, either he maketh vs to thinke that the way is not dangerous, or else that it is so dangerous as wee shall neuer bee abie to get through it: But notwithstanding these great and manifold combats, as the hope of profit doth moue the builder to goe on forward in his building; so must wee in our spirituall building, in hope of some especiall commoditie not leaue off but goe on forward. And as in warie the hope of victorie doth stirre men vp to continue to fight; so seeing o•••• v••cto∣rie is alreadie gotten by Christ, let no labour stay vs, let no dangers hinder vs, but let vs go on forwards both in our building and warre.

Let vs consider that we fight not in our own strength, but vnder Christ Iesus, who hath gotten the victorie for vs, & who fighteth for vs, he hath ouercome Satan in all his temp∣tations, and accusations: so that he shall neuer be able to ouercome vs, either in the sinne* 1.15 of presumption or desperation.

We may not therefore be now driuen backe, the cost of our warfare must not frav vs, Christ Iesus will minister harnesse, strength, & weapons vnto vs and he will get the victo∣rie for vs. The great and heauie iudgements of God against sinners, let vs set before our eyes, the comfortable sayings of the holie Scriptures, as this: Esay ••1. The wolfe shall lie with the lambe, the Leopard shall lie With the kid and the calfe, and the Lion and the fat beast together, and a little childe shall leade them. Whereby is meant the mightie power of Christ in regenerating our corrupt nature, which is as fierce as a Lion, and as sauage as a wolfe, or also if wee relie vpon Christ Iesus, he is able to turne the hearts of the cruel••st to pitie vs. Thou must beleeue that Christ by his mightie power hath begotten the a••ew▪ and hath deliuered thee as it were out of the mouth of the Lion, and therefore in no wise bee dis∣maid, but comfort thy selfe, and beware of fearefull desperation.

When our Sauiour Christ saith, that it is as possible for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God, as it is for a Cammell to goe thorowe the eye of a needle: O this is a fearefull saying: but againe it is a great comfort, when hee saith, that with man this is vn∣possible, but with God all things are possible. It seemeth to a couetous man to bee a very hard thing to depart from any thing, but when Christ Iesus shall be the mightie worke of his spirit truly touch the heart of Zacheus, hee can make him willingly to giue halfe of his goods vnto the poore, and if that he hath imured any man, to restore the same foure fould.

That was a hard and fearefull saying of Saint Paul 1. Corinth. 6. and 9. verse: Neither Fornicators, nor Adulterers, nor Idolaters, nor Wantons, nor Buggerers, nor Theeues, nor Coue∣tous men, nor Drunkards, nor Railers, nor Extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God. But that which followeth was most comfortable vnto the Corinthians, and so it is most com∣fortable vnto vs: And such (saith hee) were some of you: but yee are washed, but yee are sancti∣fied, but yee are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus, and by the spirit of our God. Loe here how Corinth was once a wilde and brutish people, but after their calling they became sound in faith, and were made the Church of God. And in Titus 1. verse 12. Paul saith, That the Cretians were alwaies liers, euill beasts, and slow bellies, and (saith hee) this witnesse is true, wherefore rebuke them sharply: that they might become sound in the faith. Whereby wee* 1.16 see how these wicked people were by Faith purged and made the children of God: Why therefore shouldest thou lay before thee the difficulties of ouercomming Sathan, that thou shouldest therefore despaire in the mercies of God? Why should any of vs thinke that wee are not able to ouercome our owne lusts when Christ Iesus standeth for vs, and fighteth with vs, when his Angels pitch their tents round about vs, and the spirit of God is powerfull in vs, and the word of God maketh for vs.

Now seeing thou hast the Word which is of power to saue thy life, and seeing thou hast the seales of Gods mercies, Water, Bread, and Wine, which are more sure seales of Gods fauour, than the obligations and bonds of any Priaces; seeing thou art so fenced in on euery side, bee not discouraged by the mightie power of thine enemies, but abide the brunt a little, and desire the Lord to increase thy faith, and no doubt thou shalt be a con∣querour, and triumph ouer all thine enemies: Let vs bethinke vs of our charges and costs, being certainly perswaded by whom, in whom, & through whom, we shall be more than conquerours, that so we runne not away at the first: Let vs beleeue, and it shall be vnto vs according to our faith; and if wee cannot beleeue, let vs pray with the man in the Gospell, Lord helpe our vnbeliefe.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An apt ••imi∣lie.
• * 1.2

  A good triall of some ioy.
• * 1.3

  The fight of a Christian.
• * 1.4

  Similitude of building.
• * 1.5

  Similitude of warfare.
• * 1.6

  Euery Chri∣stian a buil∣der and a warrier.
• * 1.7

  Striue to en∣ter in at ••••e ••••raite gate.
• * 1.8

  Premedita∣tions before men be resol∣ued to follow Christ.
• * 1.9

  Christiani∣tie▪ a war∣fare.
• * 1.10

  To renounce reason first, Anger.
• * 1.11

  To fight with reason and affections a hard battell.
• * 1.12

  To fight with penurie and want.
• * 1.13

  Satans prac∣tises in temp∣tations.
• * 1.14

  Wherefore many are o∣uertakē with temptations.
• * 1.15

  Ephes. ••. Philip. 4. 14. Rom. 8.
• * 1.16

  The wicked by faith pur∣ged & made Gods childrē